Health-care law already saving Hoosiers money

The conservative group Heritage Action for America brought its bus tour to Indianapolis last week asking Congress to defund Obamacare or to shut down the government. As an emergency room physician, let me tell you what the folks responsible for this tour are not talking about.

They're not talking about how the Affordable Care Act is already delivering for millions of hardworking Americans, and that it will deliver for millions more starting Oct. 1. Some of the benefits Hoosiers with health insurance are already seeing:

? Annual checkups for adults and children, vaccinations, yearly women's health exams and other preventive visits are free. No more co-pays for keeping yourself healthy. About 1.5 million Hoosiers have already used this benefit.

? Young adults can stay on their parents' insurance plans until age 26.

? Lifetime caps on coverage banned. Already 2.2 million Hoosiers are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage.

? Children are no longer denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Adults will be protected in 2014, too. Some 2.7 million adult Hoosiers are in this category.

? Seniors on Medicare in Indiana saved an average of $702 on prescriptions last year

? More than 273,000 Indiana residents will get rebates this year because of an ACA provision that requires insurance companies to give customers a refund if they don't spend 80 cents of their premium dollar on care. And women can no longer be charged more than men for coverage.

Starting Oct. 1, Indiana families and small businesses who don't have health insurance, or who are looking for a better deal, can go to an online health insurance marketplace compare plans, and enroll in the one that fits their needs. Some Hoosiers may qualify for help with monthly premiums depending on their income and family size.